How not to choke
by Aviatorman
Summary: Luke and Mara have more in common than they thought; namely that they can't tell each other how they feel. So it falls to three of their friends to take on a mission of mercy: matchmaking.
1. Realization

**Disclaimer- I don't nor will I ever own Star Wars or any characters from it.**

_A.N.: This story is AU, so please don't point that out. I also know that I probably got the wrong time on Luke establishing the Academy, but sometimes the facts have to take a backseat.  
__Edit: I fixed a minor typo __and rewrote the chapter seven ending when I realized that both of the characters would feel nervous in that situation._  
Please review, tell me what you liked, didn't like, whatever.

* * *

There were two things I knew for sure; first I was Mara Jade, former Emperor's Hand and current leader of the Smuggler's Alliance and second, I was desperately, madly in love with Luke Skywalker.  
It hadn't taken long to figure out, really. I knew a few months after he gave me his father's lightsaber. I had been in my cabin on the _Wild Karrde_ one day just looking at it when it finally hit me that the Farmboy had given me his most sacred possession. Given the only thing he had to remember his father to a girl he barely knew and, as far as he knew, wanted nothing to do with him. In that moment I knew from my head to my feet that I loved him.  
In the wake of my revelation, I scrambled to call him, to tell him exactly how I felt before the moment of clarity slipped away.  
_Keep cool, Mara,_ I told myself as I placed the call, _just tell him how you feel. And whatever you do, don't choke.  
_Luke's face finally appeared on the screen and I spent a moment studying those handsome features and those bright blue eyes. His face was lit up at the sight of me, (_See? _I thought_. He _does_ like me!).  
_"Mara, what a wonderful surprise!" He said, before I could speak. "Have you finally changed your mind about completing your training?"  
A wave of annoyance washed over me at that, I was here to confess my deepest feelings to this man and all he could think of was business! Before I could stop myself, the venomous words sprang from my mouth. "Like hell, Jedi. I was trying to call Kyle and instead you showed up. Now buzz off." With that, I turned off the comm, the last thing on the screen being Luke's shocked face, which sent a pang to my heart.  
I stared at the black screen for a few minutes.

_Goddammit, Mara Jade; You choked, _I thought.


	2. Open mouth

A few weeks after she abruptly hung up on me, Mara and I were having lunch in a small café near the Palace that catered almost exclusively to government officials. So Mara and I were having a wonderful time surrounded by secretaries, adjuncts, security personell, and even the occasional senator.

"I've got to hand it to you, Skywalker," she said, in between bites of the Ithorian dish she had ordered. "You sure know how to show a girl a good time."

Her words set my face burning and I considered the lovely woman across from me. Mara Jade was like a finely crafted blade; beautiful, deadly, and capable of cutting you if you weren't careful. I loved her deeply. How could I not? I'd seen her cut down egos with a word and men with uncanny accuracy. No other being in the galaxy could so frustrate me as she and yet she could remind me of who I really was whenever I let my duty go to my head. I loved her and now I had finally worked up the courage to tell her.

_Alright Luke_, I said to myself, _you can do this. Just say how you feel. Don't choke._

"So Mara…" I began. Mara looked up at me, an eyebrow raised, waiting for my sentence to conclude. _Don't choke._

"I, uh, was wondering…" _Don't choke._

"Out with it, Skywalker," she said impatiently.

I panicked. "Would you like to come to Yavin for training?" I asked in a rush.

_Wait, what? What are you doing?_

I could see by her stony expression that this was the wrong thing to say, but I kept babbling on about duty and responsibility. Mara threw her drink in my face and stormed off. The other café patrons gawked at me as I sat there, my shirt and hair soaked and my head in my hands. I was certain that this little incident would be in all the gossip columns by the end of the workday.

_Goddamit Skywalker, _I thought. _You choked._


	3. Han weighs in

I'd never liked these state functions and Leia knew it, but she also knew that I would put up with a lot if it would make her happy. So, in return for my attendance of these dreaded events, she ensured that there was always an open bar.

God, I love my wife.

Tonight's event was for… well, I didn't actually remember what it was for, but the abundance of Mon Calimari and Quarren dignitaries made me assume that they'd made another attempt at peace. It never lasted and, for a moment, I was glad that I'd resigned my commission so that I wouldn't have to deal with the fallout. Immediately afterwards, I felt guilty for that thought as I remembered all my friends who _would_ have to deal with it. Friends like Luke, who sat on Leia's other side and was clearly _not_ paying attention to the droning yet historic speech of another senator. Following the kid's gaze, I caught sight of Karrde's delegation, which included a distinctive mop of long curly red-gold hair.

Ah.

I'd been watching those two dance around each other for two years and the spectacle was starting to wear on me. In fact, I had half a mind to lock them in a room until they finally did it and saved us from having to watch the angst. As I sat watching them, I saw Luke look towards the speaker just as Mara turned to look back and in doing so missed the longing glance she threw his way.

That tore it.

It was time for Han Solo and his Lady Love to play matchmaker. But I would have to act fast, whatever plan I came up with would have to include Talon Karrde as a conspirator and he'd only be on Coruscant for a few days more. Leia nudged me, jolting me out of my thoughts.

"I know that look, you scoundrel. What are you planning?" She whispered with a smile.

I leaned in and whispered back. "I know two folks in need of a matchmaker and I need some co-conspirators, there's two more vacancies. Interested?" Leia's subtle glance at her brother let me know that she was in even as she smiled and said yes.

Now to get Karrde in on it.


	4. The Conspiracy

While this new peace between the two inhabitants of Mon Calimari was good for business (the dead cannot purchase, after all), I was glad for the open bar by the end of the speeches. I rarely have occasion to see someone say very little with an hour's worth of oration except when I am on this planet. Mara had wandered off to strategically not avoid her crush and Chin was hitting on anything vaguely female, leaving me in a peaceful bubble with a tumbler of whiskey.

At least until I saw Solo and his wife headed towards me. For a moment, I considered a speedy retreat, but that would only arouse suspicion, which was the last thing the less obvious members of my crew needed at this time. No, I would sit here and endure their badgering to join their cause, nothing they said would be terribly tempting anyway.

"Hey, Karrde," Solo announced as he approached. "How'd you like to help us get the two most dangerous people in the galaxy to hook up?"

On the other hand…

"All right, I'm intrigued. Who will we be manipulating?" Solo gave me a sidelong look, as if he couldn't believe I didn't know who he had been referring to.

"Luke and Mara, of course."

"Oh thank god," I said before I could stop myself. The Princess raised an eyebrow at me, which I ignored by taking another sip of my whiskey.

Solo grinned. "Eager to get started?"

I nodded. "Mara's insistence on seeking out Skywalker with the sole purpose of being annoyed by him is a detriment to her work within my organization. I need her to be focused."

"So we're in agreement," Leia said. "The only question is what our plan is going to be."

"And we will need a secure means of communication." I pointed out.

"Well, if anyone can do that, it's you." Han said. "As for plans, I've got one we can start with."


	5. Plan A: Forced Bunkmates

I doubt today could have gotten any worse; I'd had to sit through hours of speeches, make nice with any potential business partners, and watch Luke be hit on by a wide array of young, attractive women. Farmboy's only saving grace in all this was that he was completely oblivious to their advances. I managed to drag him away between would-be suitors, but I found that once again, I couldn't tell him that I love him. I also got the sense that he wanted to tell me something important as well, but what came out of his mouth was an inquiry about my training. After that, I couldn't bear to look at him; I rushed off without saying goodbye. Instead, I decided to turn in for the night, a guest in the building that had once been my home. I waved my keycard at the door, entered, struggled out of my dress, and flopped down on my bed to let sleep overtake me.

I was awoken by a sudden noise at the door, a quick glance at the chrono revealed that only a few hours had passed and the inebriated guests would be making their to their rooms to sleep the celebration off. At least, that's what I thought until I heard the door open. My holdout blaster was suddenly in my hand as I waited for my visitor to get closer. Whoever they were sounded like they had been hitting the bar and the bar had hit back. Hard. Then I heard the unmistakable sound of a shin meeting a hallway table, followed by a muffled curse and more stumbling. _Stang_, I thought, _that was Skywalker's voice!_ I lowered my blaster in confusion just as he reached the doorway of the bedroom. He rocked to a halt when he saw me on the bed, scantily clad and my hair spread out around my head.

"Mara?" He slurred questioningly. "What are you doing in my room?"

"This is _my_ room, farmboy. How'd you get in?" His eyebrows wrinkled in confusion as he looked down at the plastic in his hand. "Leia must have switched my room," he said slowly, concentrating on not slurring each syllable.

I sighed. "Well, I certainly can't turn you out in your condition, Skywalker. Climb in." I gestured to the bed. He stared at me a moment before stumbling forward and flopping face down beside me, not bothering to undress. He mumbled something into the sheets, but I couldn't make out the words and soon enough he began to snore.

Great, the one time I get Skywalker in my bed and he's too drunk to appreciate it. I doubt he'll even remember it, or that I spent my remaining time awake stroking his sandy blond hair. I left before the sun came up the next morning.


	6. Plan B: Special Delivery

_Three months later_

Mara's delivery of supplies was always welcome, especially since her company came with it free of charge. I stood out on the landing pad, watching her descent, a smile on my face. A few minutes after touching down, that gorgeous woman sauntered down the ramp with a shipping manifest in hand.

"Mara, always a pleasure to see you!" I greeted.

'Hi yourself, Skywalker. Got the usual today, but there's a box that says it's only to be opened in your presence. You expecting anything?"

I frowned at that. "No, I'm certain I would have remembered something like that."

"Come on then," she nodded towards the ship interior. "Let's have a look at whatever it is."

Together, we entered the cargo bay and after a quick check of the manifest, we singled out the mysterious box. Mara paused, her hands on the lid. "Last chance to back out, Farmboy."  
I smiled. "Sure, Mara. If you're too scared, that is."

She grunted at that and flung open the crate. For a moment she stared inside, wide-eyed. Actually, we both got an eyeful. _Holoporn, lube, contraceptives…. Is that a force-whip?_ Then Mara slammed the box closed, her face almost matching her hair.

"While I appreciate customer loyalty," she said with forced calm, "I don't appreciate this sort of charade." She glared at me.

"What, you think _I_ did this?" I couldn't believe it, how could she think I'd do something so embarrassing?

"Who else could have done it, then?" Her voice was rising and if I didn't nip this argument in the bud then I wouldn't see her again for months.

"It's probably a joke somebody's playing on me, Mara. Though, I admit that this is the farthest one has gone." That seemed to satisfy her for now.

"Well, I'm _not _taking it back. It's all yours, Skywalker."

I sighed. "Well, I suppose I'll have to distribute all of this among the students."

Mara stared at me incredulously. "What? I know how boring it can be stuck in the middle of nowhere, I was on Hoth!" I defended.

Mara just shook her head, a faint smile on her lips as we got on with the unloading.


	7. Plan C: Confessional

_Two months later_

I didn't know why Skywalker was on board the Wild Karrde, but I was sure it was somehow Talon's fault. Oh, he claimed that it was for some undercover work, but if that were true then we wouldn't have been saddled with the most known (handsome, intriguing, kissable…) face in the galaxy. At dinner, Talon had us seated next to each other and had him pulling his weight about the ship, often wherever I happened to be that day. I wondered if Skywalker remembered our drunken night together, as I would often catch him looking at me and he would blush and look away quickly. Gods, he was so cute when he was flustered.

I knew that Karrde was up to something when he instituted an organization-wide anonymous holo suggestion box. Entrants could send in whatever they wanted; grievances, suggestions for improvement, admissions of guilt, give information, whatever. Each entry, he said, would be reviewed by a member of security and, as the head of security, I got to review the entries of every member of the crew personally. I was then supposed to make a summarized list and give it to him for review and possible implementation.

I got an exhausting number of confessions in the first few days, most of them from Chin, who used his entries to make an inordinate amount of suggestive comments at me. Many messages were directed at me since everyone on board knew that I was security chief.

Everyone, that it, except for Skywalker.

I was shocked to see his face appear on the screen, but even more shocked at his troubled expression. He took a deep breath before speaking. I drew my legs up to my chest and curled up in my chair to watch him.

"I know this is really for members of Karrde's crew, but I need to tell someone about this, even if it's a random stranger. For the longest time, I have been in love with Mara Jade." The sureness of his words shocked me, almost as much as his revelation did. But despite my shock, the recording plowed on. "You'd remember her if you ever met her, she's hard to miss." He laughed for a few seconds, then he sobered. "It seems so wrong to tell someone else this, but I can't seem to tell her how I feel. Every time I get close I just… I choke. I ramble on about her coming to Yavin or about how she shouldn't sideline her heritage." Luke put his head in his hands. "Honestly, I don't care if she ever joins the Order or not, I just want _her_. But no matter what, I can't seem to tell her that." He looked up at the camera, his face grim. "Do you know what that's like? To love someone with all your heart and not know if they feel the same way? To not be able to tell them how much they mean to you?" He was silent for a while. "Anyway, I've got stuff to do. Maybe I won't put my foot in my mouth when I see Mara next."

The screen went black and I sat at my desk for a long time, thinking. _I choke,_ he'd said. When it mattered, he choked just like I did. And as many times as he'd tried to tell me, he could only relate his love when he thought that the person listening wouldn't be me. We were too similar to stay apart, I concluded. I glanced down at the list I'd been compiling for Karrde. Knowing him, this matchmaking scheme would still serve the stated purpose and he fully expected my report, but I was sure he wouldn't begrudge me a confession of my own.

Taking a few moments to set up my holocam and start recording, I began to speak.

"Hey, Skywalker…" I paused, calling him that didn't seem right for this. I licked my lips nervously and tried again. "_Luke_, I know you weren't expecting this message, but I bet you weren't expecting that I'd be the security chief either." I paused again, smiling at the irony of the situation. "I've seen your message and I want you to know that I feel the same way. I love you, Luke Skywalker. I've loved you almost since you gave me this." I held up my lightsaber, looking down at it and remembering the night on the balcony. "I wear it everywhere because of how much it means to me. You gave me a piece of your heart and I don't have anything to give you in return." I considered this for a moment. "I guess I'll just have to give myself. You'd better come see me in my room when you get this message so you can get your gift, farmboy. Or else."

I stopped the recording and sat back, my heart pounding.

It couldn't be this easy, could it? _Well_, I thought, i_f this doesn't work, I suppose I'll have to lock us in the cargo hold together._ With that thought, I sent my message to the man I loved.

* * *

Several hours later, I sat on my bed, nervously waiting. The door finally chimed and I sprang towards it, opening it to reveal a blushing Luke who was fidgeting slightly. His eyes were downcast, as if he thought I might be playing a cruel joke on him. He was the most beautiful sight I had ever seen, which caused my face to quickly match the color of his.

"Hey…" he said hesitantly. "I got your message."

I smiled softly. "Well maybe... maybe you should come inside. I can give you your gift."

"I'd like that." He said, his eyes finally meeting mine, showing me the passion behind his nervous demeanor. It sent a shiver down my body and I knew I needed this man right now, no more games, no more circling. Not giving him time to react, I grabbed him by the tunic and dragged him inside, the door closing behind us.


	8. My Big Fat Jedi Wedding

_Six months later_

We all met up again at Luke and Mara's wedding. Despite Leia's hopes, it was a small affair with almost no press involvement. Among the guests were Leia and I, of course, most of Rogue Squadron, Luke's Students, the crew of the Wilde Karrde, and our buddy Lando. Karrde gave away the bride, I was the Best Man, and Leia got the role of Maid of Honor (that tradition of groomsmen and bridesmaids was certainly going to come into play later for us). On the dais, Mara looked stunningin her dress and everyone could tell that she was the only thing that the kid could see. Now that he'd brought her up here for the main event, Karrde was back in his seat, his smug smile aimed squarely at me. The happy couple got through their vows just fine, but I had to nudge Luke before he remembered the rings, causing a ripple of sniggering in the audience. Not that he noticed, and I doubt he would have cared if he did.

Then it was time for the moment we'd all been waiting for; the vows had been said, the rings exchanged, and the new couple finally shared a passionate kiss that I swear raised the temperature. Across the quickly devolving makeout, Leia's eyes were shining wetly and I knew that we were going to have our own little honeymoon later. But first, it was time to mingle.

We met Karrde at the bar, like we had almost a year ago. That smug expression was stills on his face.

"So, Solo," he said while sipping from his whiskey tumbler. "It looks like my plan worked after all."

"I don't see how," I muttered. "It relied too much on coincidence and luck." Karrde's grin got wider.

"Ah, but you see, it _didn't_. By giving Skywalker something to do, I helped him feel more like part of the crew and thus, more likely to avail himself to our services. Unlike your idea of getting the poor boy drunk. _That_ relied too much on coincidence and luck."

I helped myself to a tall glass of Corellian Ale. "I would have worked if she were drunk too." I complained.

Then Karrde turned to Leia. "Speaking of work, I can get you a good price on force-whips, seeing as how you sent yours to Yavin." My wife turned crimson and began sputtering.

I stepped in for her. "No, Karrde, I think the happy couple needs it more than us." Out of the corner of my eye I could see Mara drag the kid off somewhere private. "Much more," I said happily.

**Roll Credits**

* * *

A.N: _Funnily enough, this entire thing was inspired by Fleetwood Mac's "Everywhere". It struck me as something that would apply to Mara, and thus the first chapter was born.__Han and Leia have remarkably similar plan because in my head, they would think in mostly the same ways_ _deep down. Obviously, they were made for each other. _


End file.
